International travel requires the use of a valid passport. You should arrange to have possession of a valid passport sixty (60) days prior to departure. Also, your passport must be valid for a minimum of six months after your return date. If your passport is not valid for at least six (6) months beyond your scheduled return date, you will be denied boarding on your outbound flight.

Any fees associated with passport acquisition or renewal are the responsibility of the traveler. More information including new passport applications or renewals is available here.

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Discipleship Travel LLC acts only as an agent for suppliers and is not responsible for damage, loss, or theft of luggage and/or personal belongings, or for personal injury, accident and/or illness. For your own protection it is important that you have sufficient insurance to cover these possibilities.

Be aware that travel insurance benefits are not limited to health related incidents. After determining your coverage needs, check with your insurance agent to determine whether your insurance plan meets your needs in Israel (or wherever you are traveling), including personal health/injury, loss/damage to belongings, and trip interruption. Note: Many US-based insurance plans do not cover you outside the United States, so get confirmation of coverage in writing! You should carry proof of insurance in case you need medical attention while abroad.

Because of the risk of misunderstanding insurance benefits and the complications that often occur when using non-Israeli insurance policies in Israel, Discipleship Travel LLC recommends purchasing travel insurance. You can choose from among the different policies we sell by clicking the Travel Guard banner below.

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People are often surprised when they hear about snow in Israel. Isaiah’s (1:18) use of snow as an illustration aside, most people don’t naturally associate snow and/or cold with the Middle East. Rather, thoughts of hot desert scenes are most common. So, to answer the question of whether it snows in Israel, I provide this photo (courtesy of IDF) of today’s snow.

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Discipleship Travel LLC is happy to announce a new partnership with TalknSave to provide our travelers with mobile phone service in Israel.

Below is a blog post that details our personal experience with TalknSave. It was published May 25, 2012 on Craig Dunning’s personal blog and clearly illustrates why Discipleship Travel LLC decided to partner with TalknSave.

Too Good to be True Rental Phones

Shortly before my recent trip to Israel, I was made aware of TalknSave, a company that rents phones to tourists for an unbelievable [to me] price of $5 per day. That $5 per day provides unlimited calls to/from phones in Israel, Canada and the United States.

Having lived as long as I did in Israel, I was skeptical of the offer as being too good to be true. However, rather than dismiss it altogether, I contacted the company and started an interesting “you gotta prove it” relationship with Elie Mamann, the company rep.

I explained my reluctance, which was based on typical Israeli marketing of large promises followed by zero customer service. Eli had heard the same reluctance by others, and he confided that he, too, was skeptical before he began working with this company. He assured me that the service was everything promised or he would not work there. Of course, that sounds like all the other “trust me” sales pitches I have heard in Israel. However, he said one thing that gave me enough confidence to give it a try: “I’m from North America, so I know what you have in mind regarding customer service.”

He convinced me, … sorta. I’m afraid I’ll be eternally skeptical of salesmen from that region. But, I told Elie that I would give him a try … and if the service is all he’s made it out to be, I promised to be his biggest supporter. On the other hand, if the service was fluff, I would be a megaphone warning others to stay away.

The result of our group’s use of TalknSave was total satisfaction. Elie provided all the personal service he promised, including meeting the group at the airport to deliver the phones at the bus. They also provide pre-paid mailer envelopes and a drop box at the airport for ease of return on the way out of the country.

We had 15-18 people rent the phones (a few different plans), and all were completely satisfied. We also had a few bring their home plans for various reasons. Some were happy with the home plan decision, even though they likely paid more. Those that brought Verizon service were sorely disappointed. Verizon agents may tell you that they provide service in Israel, but members of my group (and a previous one, too) found out that isn’t true.

I know that some will wonder, “what’s the use/need of having a mobile phone while touring Israel?” Here are some of the benefits:

A growing number of tourists are on vacation, but still managing things back at the office because of the instant contact culture (calling, texting, surfing) that we are moving toward. These phones offer unlimited, instant contact at a very low price.

Most tourists’ families are unaware that when they hear news of rockets coming into Israel, those rockets aren’t landing in every location. These phones offer unlimited calls that might be helpful in assuring folks back home that things are okay.

In the case that something serious – like war, or the Arab Spring, or hospitalization – happens, these phones are an inexpensive way to be in touch with people back home. That might be helpful for the tourist and their families.

As the group leader, my phone gave me an inexpensive way to be in touch with the guide, driver, and other people I needed to reach.

Tourists aren’t always where they are supposed to be. Those that had phones were easily located.

Be aware that there are different plans available, including data and text plans. For those that want to take their own “Smart Phone,” a SIM card is available in this plan.

If this recommendation interests you at all, whether you are a single or group traveler, please click on the banner below to see the options and sign up.

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Disclosure of Material Connection

Some of the links presented at this website, including blog posts, Tweets, and articles are “affiliate links.” If you click on the link and purchase a linked item, I will receive an affiliate commission. However, I only recommend products or services I honestly believe will add value to the users of this website. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Amazon Links: “Craig Dunning is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.”